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Cranston Fine Arts  Military Art and Artists Napoleonic Military Art  Peninsular War |
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An Incident During the Peninsula War by Robert Hillingford. No text for this item |
The Duke of Wellington at the Siege of Badajos by Howard Davie (P) No text for this item |
Halt on a Forced March by Lady Elizabeth Butler. The painting shows a gun team of the Royal Horse Artillery with wounded soldiers on the Limber during the retreat to Corunna in the winter of 1808-1809, during the Peninsula War. |
30th Foot at the Storming of Badajoz by Richard Simkin. Badajoz, 6th April 1812 in North West Spain on the River Guadiana. The siege began on the 17th March and was finally captured on 6th April. The British lost more than 4,800 men. |
The Fusiliers at the Battle of Albuera by David Rowlands. The Duke of Wellington while besieging the fort of Badajoz. |
The Battle of Tudela by January Suchodolski The Battle of Tudela, fought on November 23rd 1808, saw the French forces under Marshal Jean Lannes decisively defeat the Spanish armies led by General Castanos and General Palafox. Spanish casualties were significant, with around 6,000 killed or wounded. While French losses were relatively minimal, with only about 700 casualties. The aftermath of the battle forced the Spanish armies to retreat in two directions, with one contingent moving towards Zaragoza and the other towards Madrid. This victory allowed Napoleon to advance rapidly, culminating in the French capture of Madrid in early December 1808. |
Battle of Somosierra by January Suchodolski The Battle of Somosierra took place on 30 November 1808, during the Peninsular War, when a combined Franco-Spanish-Polish force under the direct command of Napoleon Bonaparte forced a passage through a Spanish Division stationed at the Sierra de Guadarrama which shielded Madrid from direct French attack. |
Badajoz by Mark Churms. On the night of 6th April 1812 Wellingtons Army, surrounding the walled Spanish town of Badajoz (garrisoned by Napoleons soldiers under general Baron Philippon) is ready to attack! The men of the 45th regiment from Pictons 3rd Division launch themselves in a desperate and bloody assault against the north castle wall. Carrying improvised ladders, the men have their top buttons undone, overalls rolled up and are stripped for action. The castles defenders (Germans, allied to Napoleon of the Graf und Erbprinz Regiment from Hesse-Darmstadt) partroling the walls in their greatcoats are intially surprised by the bold assault from this sector but they have been preparing the strong defenses for some time. Soon the night air is full of musketry, falling masonry, burning bundles of ropes and exploding grenades or mines. Despite the horrific casualties suffered the attackers press home. As the first scaling ladders are raised near a small bell tower the young Lt. James Macpherson reaches for the top of the wall. The ladders are too short! Undaunted he cries to his men below to lift the base of the ladder closer to the wall. This rapid, vertical movement suddenly propels him to a height several feet above the Germans heads. A shot rings out as one of the defenders fires point blank into the young mans chest. Fortunately the lead ball only strikes a glancing blow, cleaving in two a button of the officers waist coat and dislocating one of his ribs. Despite his fortunate escape, the force of the impact nearly sends him tumbling from the ladder. Somehow he maintains his grasp but the ladder itself gives way under the weight of the men following. Some unfortunates are impaled on the bayonets of their comrades below. Leaping from the rungs of another ladder, Corporal Kelly is the first man over the top and gradually the 45th gain a foothold on the ramparts. The rest of the regiment is ordered to unfix bayonets. Using the few remaining ladders, others also manage to scale the walls. Through the carnage they climb, club and shoot their way into the castle itself! Maepherson now regains consciousness at the foot of the wall and revived with a cup of coco from his friend A.A. General Hercules Packenham, who was directly behind him on the ladder when it broke. Though winded by the shot he rises to his feet. This sudden movement relocates his rib and he is able to climb the ladders once more. Once over the defense he sees the old towers of Apendez and Albar-rana to his left and the cathedral illuminated by gun fire in the distance. However his objective is directly ahead. Atop the abandoned tower of Santa Maria before him still flies the French tricolour. Macplierson seizes the opportunity, mounts the spiral stairway to the top turret and pulls down the enemy flag. For want of a substitute he flies his own red jacket from the pole, signifying that the castle has fallen. In the rest of the town the fighting continues and turns into a blood lust. Badajoz is one of the bloodiest and violent sieges of the Peninsula War. On the following day Maepherson presents his trophy to the Duke of Wellington himself but his bravery is not rewarded with a promotion. |
87th Regiment at the Battle of Vitoria by Brian Palmer. The 87th Regiment defend the walls against the French 13th Dragoons as they charge by during the Battle of Vitoria. |
British Infantry of the Line on Service in the Peninsula, 1813 by Richard Simkin No text for this item |
Saving the Colours at Albuera by Allan Stewart (PC) The Battle of Albuera, fought on May 16, 1811, during the Peninsular War, was a significant confrontation between British, Spanish, and Portuguese forces against the French army led by Marshal Soult. The Allied forces, commanded by General William Beresford, faced a fierce attack and endured heavy casualties but ultimately held their ground, achieving a strategic victory. Despite the high losses, the battle demonstrated the resilience of the Allied troops and helped to maintain their position in southern Spain against the French forces. |
Norman Ramsay at Fuentes Onoro (5th May 1811) by William Barnes Wollen (PC) While temporarily under the command of Lieutenant Norman Ramsay two guns of bulls troop of the Royal Horse Artillery were surrounded by French cavalry and cut off from the main force. With the guns limbered up and swords drawn, they charged through the surprised enemy horsemen thereby saving themselves from being captured. They returned to Wellingtons lines with the help of the 1st Royal Dragoons and 14th Light Dragoons. |
The " Die Hards " (57th Foot) at Albuera by Richard Caton Woodville No text for this item |
The Bloody Eleventh by David Rowlands. The 11th (North Devon) Regiment at the Battle of Salamanca, 22nd July 1812. |
10th Hussars, Retreat from Corunna by Richard Simkin. Historical military art print of the 10th Hussars during the Peninsula War, during the retreat from Salamanca to Corunna under General Sir John Moore. |
Assault on the Breach of San Sebastian by Mark Churms. The Storming party, 750 volunteers, included 200 men of the Guards, one hundred each from the First and Coldstream Guards. They moved off at two in the morning on the 31st August 1813, and occupied a ruined convent where they remained till half past nine. Aware of the almost impossible task ahead of them, and subjected to a violent electric thunderstorm, the troops waited in a state of savage anticipation. Wild senseless laughter was said to have preceded the attack on the breach which could not be entered except in single file under heavy fire. The troops attacked in succession, but were struck down by hundreds. General Graham then ordered the artillery to fire over the heads of the assailants, clearing the ramparts. A shell ignited a quantity of powder, and under cover of the explosions, the storming party forced its way into the town. San Sebastian was savagely sacked and burned, and the good name of Wellingtons Army suffered as it had done at Badajoz. The civilians were raped, robbed and murdered in revenge for the heavy losses suffered by the troops. The Franco-Spanish governor retired the citadel (San Marcial) and on the 9th September, after a gallant resistance of over a week, surrendered the charge he had so faithfully defended. The casualties among the officers of the first Guards were one Officer, Ensign Burrard, First battalion (a son of Sir Henry Burrard who was responsible for the disastrous Treaty of Cintra) severely wounded, since dead, and one Officer, Ensign Orlando Bridgeman, wounded. In the Coldstream Guards, one officer ensign Thomas Chaplin, According to Lord Saltoun there were in round numbers, 150 casualties amongst 200 Guardsman. Total losses of volunteers from all regiments were 1500 men. (text by Atlanta Clifford, assistant to the Curator-The Guards Museum) In the painting. you see Ensign Chaplin lying wounded, attended by an Officer of the Coldstream Guards, Orlando Bridgeman is calling Assistant Surgeon Bacot, First Foot Guards, to go to the aid of his fellow officer, Burrard. |
The Attack of the Black Watch, Battle of Corunna by Harry Payne. The Battle of Corunna, 1809: With 20,000 fighting men Sir John Moore invaded a country overrun by 300,000 veterans, and, meeting with no support from the Spaniards, struck boldly at Bonapartes communications. The audacity of this strategy drew from Napoleon that Moore was the only foe worthy of his steel. With characteristic energy Bonaparte abandoned his plan of campaign and set out in pursuit, but rumour of an alliance between Russia and Austria sent him in hot haste to Paris. Soult was left behind to drive the British into the sea. Undismayed by the overwhelming force with which he was threatened, Moore prepared to meet the French. But prudence prevailed. Madrid had capitulated without striking a blow, and the Spanish legions had melted into shadows. Moore decided to fall back upon the coast. His force was so reduced that he had to post his men on an inferior range of hills commanded by the artillery fire of the enemy. But advantage of position and superior numbers were of no avail against the gallantry of the British. By a skillful move Moore managed to outflank the left of the French columns sent to crush the infantry under Baird. Centre and left became engaged and a furious fight swept along the line. Moore was in the forefront of the conflict near the village of Elvina, against which the assault was fiercest. Here a cannon shot struck him on the left breast, shattering the shoulder to pieces, breaking the ribs over the heart and tearing the muscles to shreds. Thrown violently from his horse he gave no sign of the terrible nature of his would, but fixed his gaze steadily on his troops. Only when he saw the thin red line advancing did he suffer himself to be carried to the rear. The hilt of his sword had entered the wound and an officer of his staff would have removed it. It is as well as it is, said the dying soldier, I had rather it should go out of the field with me. I hope my country will do me justice, were among his last words. By his skill, foresight and bravery, he saved Englands army from destruction and arrested the blow that Napoleon aimed at the conquest of Spain. |
The Rearguard by J P Beadle. Craufurds Light Brigade, of which the 95th Rifles, the 43rd and 52nd, were part of, faces about once more to face the enemy, during the retreat from Spain of Sir John Moores Army. The Light Brigade fought a series of brilliant delaying tactics under the most adverse of conditions during the Peninsula War. |
The Storming by Escalade the Ramparts of San Vincente at the Taking of Badajoz, April 6th 1812 No text for this item |
Colin Campbell at the Siege of San Sebastian in 1813 by William Barnes Wollen Lieutenant Colin Campbell of the 9th Regiment leading the forlorn hope during the Siege of San Sebastian. He was wounded twice during the assault, however this did not halt his military career as he would go on to command the 98th Regiment of Foot during the First Opium War, the Highland Brigade at the Battle of Alma and the 93rd Sutherland Highlanders at the battle of Balaclava, among others. |
Sir John Moore at Corunna, January 16th 1809 by B Granville Baker No text for this item |
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